Oregon has eleven unique lighthouses along its beautiful shores. Seven are open to the public. Nine are historic. Two are privately owned, though they are Coast Guard certified as personal navigational aids.
Yaquina Head Lighthouse began operation in 1873 and is one of my favorite places to visit on the Coast. I rarely miss a stop here whenever I'm visiting the Newport area. It is three miles north of Newport at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, which includes an interesting visitors center. It is the tallest lighthouse in Oregon, sitting at 93 feet tall. Cobble Beach is an easy walk down some stairs from the parking lot, where unusual round basalt rock covers the beach. When the waves roll in it creates an interesting clacking sound from the rocks crashing together. A short hike to the top of a hill is a lovely overview of this magnificent structure. I especially enjoy birding in this area in the wintertime, which is an excellent place to see Bald Eagles, Harlequin Ducks, Peregrine Falcons, and other winter visitors.
Yaquina Head Lighthouse
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The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest bird in the world.
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Bald Eagle
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Yaquina Head Lighthouse
Coquille River Lighthouse was built in 1896 and was active until 1939. It stands 40 feet tall and is located two miles North of Bandon in Bullards Beach State Park. In 1991 the light was replaced with a solar light. Every December the lighthouse is decorated with Christmas lights for Bandon's Night of 10,000 Lights celebration.
Coquille River Lighthouse
Another angle of the Coquille River Lighthouse
Tillamook Rock Lighthouse was built in 1881 and is 62 feet tall. It is about a mile off the coast at Ecola State Park and has no public access. It closed in 1957. Its nickname is Terrible Tilly, because of how difficult the conditions were for the lighthouse keeper, due to the harsh conditions on the small rocky island, and the difficulty in accessing the rock, especially during stormy seas.
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Tillamook Rock Lighthouse
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Tillamook Rock Lighthouse
Yaquina Bay Lighthouse was built in 1871. It is in Newport overlooking beautiful Yaquina Bay and Yaquina Bay Bridge. It only operated for three years, when it was replaced by the nearby Yaquina Head Lighthouse.
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Yaquina Bay Bridge
Heceta Head Lighthouse is three miles north of Florence and is my husband's favorite place on the Oregon coast. It stands 160 feet tall. It is one of the most photographed places on the Oregon coast, and an amazing place to visit. At low tide you can enjoy tide pools at Cape Cove Beach. There are some small caves to explore too. It includes a year-round freshwater creek for kids and dogs to frolic.
A short hike to the old inn keeper's house, lighthouse, and gift shop is a must. If you want additional hikes, from the lighthouse take the one-way 1 1/4-mile Heceta Head trail which then picks up the 1/2-mile Hobbit trail. The Hobbit trial ends in Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park and features a small parking area on Hwy 101. For an alternate route, you could continue from the Heceta Head trail to the 1 1/2-mile Valley trail that includes a side trip to 1/2-mile loop China Creek trail. Both trails end at Carl Washburn campground. And if the lighthouse, creek, tide pools, caves, beach, birds, and lighthouse keepers' home isn't enough to pique your interest, let's add the historic Cape Creek Bridge, which was built in 1932 and was designed by the renowned Conde McCullogh. This stop has it all!
Heceta Head Lighthouse - Famous photo spot along Hwy 101
The light was first lit in 1894 at Heceta Head Lighthouse
Lighthouse, but now it's used as a bed and breakfast.
The Umpqua River Lighthouse is 65 feet tall and was the first lighthouse on the Oregon coast. It was first built in 1857, but due to erosion it fell into the Umpqua River. The new one was built in 1861.
Umpqua River Lighthouse
Cape Meares was built in 1890. It is the shortest of all the lighthouses on the coast, standing at only 38 feet. It is located a few miles west of Tillamook, at Cape Meares State Park.
Cape Meares Lighthouse
Cape Meares Lighthouse
Cape Blanco Lighthouse was built in 1870 and stands 59 feet tall. It is the oldest continuous operating lighthouse in Oregon. It is located at Cape Blanco State Park 4.5 miles north of Port Orford and is the westernmost point in Oregon. It can be very windy at times! There is a simple interpretive center and gift shop near the lighthouse. Down the road from the lighthouse is the historic Hughes House which was built in 1898. The restored 3000 square foot farmhouse is open to the public for tours. Near the house on the same road is the cemetery. Cape Blanco State Park is on 47.7 acres of land and provides about 8 miles of hiking trails, including one that goes to the beach.
Cape Blanco Lighthouse
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In this photo the light is covered with a curtain at Cape Blanco Lighthouse because the light is not rotating correctly. The curtain is used during repairs to avoid damage to the equipment from sunlight refracting through the prisms. They leave a small section of the curtain open (on the seaward side) so mariners can still use it for navigation.
Hughes House at Cape Blanco
Cape Arago Lighthouse is in Charleston, near Coos Bay. It was built in 1865 and is Oregon's second oldest lighthouse. It sits on a narrow island called Chiefs Island, and it is not opened to the public. It stands forty-four feet tall and can be viewed from two places along Cape Arago Loop Road in Charleston: Lighthouse lookout and a short hike to Yoakam Point.
Cape Arago Lighthouse (front view from Lighthouse Lookout)
Cape Arago Lighthouse (back view from Yoakam Point)
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Cape Arago Lighthouse sits on Chiefs Island
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More of narrow Chiefs island
where Cape Arago Lighthouse sits
Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse is a privately owned lighthouse located near beautiful Cape Perpetua about 1.8 miles south of Yachats. It was built in 1976.
Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse
Pelican Bay Lighthouse is a privately owned lighthouse located in Brookings. It can be viewed from the harbor. This lighthouse was built in 1999, making it the newest in Oregon.
One last stop that should be included when visiting the various lighthouses in Oregon is Cape Fowlweather. It is south of Depot Bay on Otter Crest Loop. It's not a lighthouse, but a historic building that sits on a basalt cliff five hundred feet above the Pacific Ocean, and is now a gift shop providing a comfortable place to whale watch, or just take in the stunning views.
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Cape Fowlweather
The first lighthouse was the Pharos of Alexandria built in 280 BC and is in the harbors of Alexandria in Egypt. History says it stood 350 feet tall, which is incredible! The oldest lighthouse still working is the Tower of Hercules in Spain. It was built in the first century and stands 57 feet tall. Lighthouses are amazing, and they have come a long way since having to build fires on hilltops for navigation.
This post wouldn't be complete without a huge thank you to the hundreds of volunteers which make our enjoyment of these treasures possible. They may be local or from a far-flung state, but they all selflessly invest countless hours due to their shared love of these unique sites.
I hope you enjoy touring the various lighthouses in Oregon as much as I have.
Happy Trails!
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